John Harrell's Blog, page 9

Hanging Out With Jesus

Do you ever wonder what it would have been like to hang around with Jesus? Reading about him in Scripture gives us an idea, yet I wonder what he was like.

I’m sure Jesus had remarkable presence, and I bet he had a wonderful sense of humor. Jesus couldn’t have been serious all the time because if he was, no one would want to be around him for very long. Little children flocked to him. Kids don’t approach people who make them feel unsafe. Children have great instincts.

And Jesus was a rebel, a real badass. He didn’t mince words when calling out hypocrisy, even among the religious scholars. Doing something like this in Jesus’ time could get you kicked out of the synagogue.

One day we will all meet Jesus. Until then, let’s just try to be like him…

Interview with Ashley Spence

This interview was originally posted earlier this year. During our time together we discussed legislation Ashley was diligently working on in Texas: Rapid DNA. Major update. The legislation passed!

Please take a moment to learn more about the important work Ashley is doing on behalf of victims of sexual assault (as she was), and to exonerate the innocent.

Attention!

I’m easily distracted. My short attention span keeps me interested in everything going on around me. From a very young age I became observant of my surroundings.

There is an exception to this. When I’m engaged in conversation, my focus is on listening, really listening to my counterpart. When we get laser-focused on who we are with, it makes the other person feel important. After all, everyone wants to be seen, heard and understood.

It’s important to pay attention to what’s happening in the world, too. Geopolitically, the planet is very interesting right now. In geopolitics, motive is key.

The world is constantly paying attention to you and how you act. Let’s be sure we give others something worth their attention…

I Know You

Do you know people? I mean really know them? You see, people show you what they want you to know about them. They hide the things they want no one to see.

God knows us all the way down to our DNA. He knows everything, and nothing escapes his view. It’s inspiring to think that God was with us all our lives, even when we were infants and didn’t know him. Or maybe we did but we just don’t remember.

People put guards up. Many fear that if we truly knew them that we wouldn’t like them. God not only loves us, he likes us, too. And there’s nothing we can do to change that. Nothing.

I encourage you to let your guard down. Be open with others. Allow them to see you for who you are, not the version that’s not the real you.

When you open yourself up, that’s when you find true connection. And that’s what we want, to feel connected…

Come As You Are

I remember seeing restaurants advertise that you were welcome to “come as you are,” a sign that all were invited in to enjoy the food and experience. It was great advertising because it made me feel welcome before I went inside.

The church I go to is this way. Everyone is encouraged to come as they are and experience God’s grace. And true to their word, all are welcome. It’s a non-judgmental, no guilt or shame allowed place.

And there are other churches that are just plain churchy. They have good intentions, but the message gets lost because people are paying more attention to how the congregation is dressed than they are the Word of God.

Church is the one place where everyone should feel comfortable just showing up. It shouldn’t matter whether you are in a big building or meeting under a tree. You are welcome.

Jesus never turned anyone away. He even touched lepers! All could come to him and experience the kindness of God. Only this time he was in human form. What a truly magnificent Creator we serve…

Like Minded

Have you noticed how people are always looking for things to agree on? This is rooted in people’s aversion to conflict. Some people will compromise their beliefs just to get along.

Conflict is going to happen in an imperfect world. That’s okay. Conflict doesn’t mean argument. It means disagreement. You can disagree without becoming disagreeable with someone else.

After Jesus’ crucifixion the disciples scattered. They were afraid for their own lives, and they had an internal conflict. Everything they had seen the prior three years wasn’t a lie. So how could this man, the Messiah be put to death when they knew he could stop it? The answer came later.

After the resurrection, the (now)apostles started the new way. It wasn’t called Christianity yet. They went far and wide, telling the world about Jesus. Many of the apostles died horrible deaths. You don’t die for a lie.

Be who you were created to be. Stay open minded, but that doesn’t mean you will be in agreement with everyone. Just stay true to yourself…

Punishment

The home I grew up in was filled with chaos and violence. Both of my parents were abusive. The physical wounds heal, but the emotional pain just scars over.

As I grew into my teenage years, I became angry and withdrawn at home. I couldn’t show my anger, so I held it inside. At school, I was the happy kid who was friends with everyone. No one knew the pain I carried inside.

In my young mind I believed God was punishing me. I understood punishment because that was the world I lived in. But I had no idea what God was punishing me for. Had I known what I had done I would have corrected it. And He wasn’t telling me.

Only much later on did I learn the character of God. He wasn’t punishing me. In fact, everything I felt, every hurt, every pain and every sense of hopelessness, God felt that way alongside me. He was giving me a story that I could share which would bring hope to others who grew up the same way. For this, I am grateful.

Today, I spend a good amount of time in prisons, sharing my story while focusing on the power of forgiveness. My volunteer work gives me a great amount of fulfillment. My story is relatable, and it has given the inmates hope.

Everything can be used for good. God has given you a story. I encourage you to use yours, too…

Modeling

Who do you admire? And why do you admire them?

Abraham Lincoln was a great figure from history. Lincoln had perseverance (he ran for office unsuccessfully nine times before winning), wisdom, and he did what was right through the Emancipation Proclamation. It cost Lincoln his life.

The coming of the Messiah had been foretold through Scripture. Yet, when Jesus arrived on the scene many of the religious leaders at the time didn’t recognize him for who he was. Jesus’s teachings were aligned with the law, but many were counter culture to the religion of the Pharisees. They were all about religion while Jesus was teaching us to love God and love others.

Parents are their children’s first role models. Kids watch everything and learn how to act from mom and dad . Being a parent is the role of a lifetime.

Be willing to stand up for what’s right. Don’t go along with the crowd if the crowd is doing something wrong. You might be cast out from the crowd, but there are better people to surround yourself with.

Be a role model for good. Our world needs you…

Fear of Life

Some people can be so safety minded that they never take a chance on anything. They will miss out on the thrill of a rollercoaster, the excitement of whitewater rafting, traveling to exotic destinations and falling in love. Such a shame…

Do you know anyone who lives by the “what if” principle? What if this happens or what if that happens, they say. My mother was this way and it drove me crazy. One day I said, “so what if this happened?” I would figure it out. She didn’t like that too much because it took away her excuse making.

It’s good to exercise caution in life. Just don’t take it too far. And if you’re a fearful person, start small. Do something new to take you out of your comfort. Enjoy the thrill. Lean into it. You might like it!

Growth comes when we are willing to get uncomfortable…

Complete

One of the dumbest lines ever comes from the movie, “Jerry Maguire.” In one scene, Tom Cruise says to Renee Zellweger “you complete me.” The audience swoons, and everyone lives happily ever after!

You are complete already. God created you and gave you every skill, every talent and every ability you need to do what he created you for. He didn’t send you to earth partially done.

It is true that we are born with a hole in our hearts. The 17th century French philosopher Pascal called it a “God shaped vacuum.” Only God can fill that void. Another broken human being won’t fit. And we are all broken.

Search for the God of the impossible. You know who I’m talking about. He’s waiting.

I leave you with Jeremiah 29:13 which says, “You will find me when you seek me with all of your heart…”